Information processing apparatus connected to a printing apparatus via a network and computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a program for causing a computer to execute generating print data in the information processing apparatus connected to the printing apparatus via the network

ABSTRACT

An information processing apparatus connected to a printing apparatus via a network encrypts print data if identification information is input, and does not encrypt print data if identification information is not input. If identification information is input and the print data has been encrypted, the information processing apparatus sends a print job including the encrypted print data to the printing apparatus via the network; otherwise, the information processing apparatus sends unencrypted print data to the printing apparatus via the network.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/041,067, filed Jan. 21, 2005, entitled “INFORMATION PROCESSINGAPPARATUS CONNECTED TO A PRINTING APPARATUS VIA A NETWORK ANDCOMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM HAVING STORED THEREON A PROGRAM FORCAUSING A COMPUTER TO EXECUTE GENERATING PRINT DATA IN THE INFORMATIONPROCESSING APPARATUS CONNECTED TO THE PRINTING APPARATUS VIA THENETWORK”, the content of which is expressly incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety. Further, the present application claims priorityfrom Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-023970, filed Jan. 30, 2004,which is also hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus andmethod and to a printing apparatus and method. More specifically, thepresent invention relates to a printing system including a host computerand a printing apparatus for providing high security for printeddocuments.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, the popularity of printing systems for sharing a printingapparatus connected via a network has increased. In an environment wherea plurality of users use a printing apparatus, a user who desires aprintout is often remote from the printing apparatus when printing.Moreover, the output print data can be accessed by a third party, andhigh security is not achievable.

A printing apparatus that provides high security is disclosed in, forexample, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-212744. This printingapparatus stores, for example, a print job with a personalidentification number (PIN) or password in a storage medium in theprinting apparatus, such as a memory or a hard disk, and prints theprint job once a user enters the PIN or password on a main panel of theprinting apparatus. The printer does not begin printing until a user whodesires a printout is physically at the printing apparatus, and highsecurity is therefore achievable because the output print data is notaccessible by any third party.

The so-called secured print allows a print job received by a printingapparatus to be kept, and does not actually print it until a user entersa password on an operation panel of the printing apparatus.

It is also necessary for the user to specify a print job at the printingapparatus to start printing. Generally, a desired print job is selectedfrom a list of print jobs displayed on the screen of the printingapparatus, and a password is entered to start printing. Alternatively,an ID card may be used in view of high usability (see, for example,Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-150559). Specifically, ID informationregistered in the ID card may be used as a PIN or password. When the IDcard is inserted into a printing apparatus, the ID information is read,and a print job associated with the read ID information is searched for,and the print job is printed.

If print job data transmitted on a network is monitored and copied, andthe copied print job data is sent to another printing apparatus, aprintout of the print job data may be caught by a third party. If datastored in a printing apparatus is copied and the copied data is sent toanother printing apparatus, a print out of the print job data may alsobe caught by a third party. In order to avoid these situations, a systemfor encrypting print job data transmitted on a network or job datastored in a printing apparatus is disclosed in, for example, JapanesePatent Laid-Open No. 09-134264.

With the recent wide prevalence of IC cards, an IC card may be usedinstead of the ID card described above to easily enter a PIN orpassword. Due to their high performance, IC cards can be used to encryptjob data, and a higher-security system that makes it impossible toperform decrypting without an IC card used for encryption isconceivable.

In printing an encrypted secured print job using an IC card, generally,each print client computer must have an IC card reader/writer device.However, an IC card reader/writer device provided for each print clientcomputer for only the purpose of encryption becomes costly.

Printing with encryption generally requires a long time. Thus, insecured printing, if the user can select only printing with encryption,usability is poor for print jobs that do not need to be encrypted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention selectively prints an encrypted secured print jobor an unencrypted secured print job on a print job basis.

The present invention may print an encrypted secured print job using aninformation storage medium by installing a reader/writer device in aprinting apparatus rather than in each information processing apparatus.

In one aspect of the present invention, an information processingapparatus connected to a printing apparatus via a network includes aprint data generating unit that generates unencrypted print data, aninput unit that inputs identification information, a print dataencrypting unit that generates encrypted data by encrypting theunencrypted print data, a control unit that controls the print dataencrypting unit to generate the encrypted print data when theidentification information is input by the input unit and that controlsthe print data encrypting unit not to generate the encrypted print datawhen the identification information is not input by the input unit, anda sending unit that sends a print job to the printing apparatus via thenetwork, the print job including the encrypted print data when theidentification information is input by the input unit and the print jobincluding the unencrypted print data when the identification informationis not input by the input unit.

In another aspect of the present invention, a printing apparatusconnected to an information processing apparatus via a network includesa print job storage unit that stores print jobs that are received fromthe information processing apparatus, an input unit that inputs firstidentification information, a job specifying unit that specifies a printjob corresponding to the first identification information from the printjobs stored in the print job storage unit based on the firstidentification information input by the input unit, an encryptiondetermining unit that determines whether or not print data included inthe print job specified by the job specifying unit is encrypted printdata, a print data decrypting unit that decrypts the encrypted printdata if the encryption determining unit determines that the print dataincluded in the print job specified by the job specifying unit isencrypted print data, and an output unit that prints the print data whenthe encryption determining unit determines that the print data includedin the print job specified by the job specifying unit is not encryptedprint data and that prints the decrypted print data generated by theprint data decrypting unit when the encryption determining unitdetermines that the print data included in the print job specified bythe job specifying unit is encrypted print data.

In another aspect of the present invention, an information processingmethod for an information processing apparatus connected to a printingapparatus via a network includes steps of generating unencrypted printdata, receiving identification information if the identificationinformation is input, performing control so as to encrypt theunencrypted print data when the identification information is input andperforming control so as not to encrypt the unencrypted print data whenthe identification information is not input, and sending a print job tothe printing apparatus via the network, the print job including theencrypted print data when the identification information is input andincluding the unencrypted print data when the identification informationis not input.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, a program causes acomputer to execute an information processing method for an informationprocessing apparatus connected to a printing apparatus via a networkaccording to the method described above.

In another aspect of the present invention, a printing method for aprinting apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus viaa network includes steps of storing print jobs that are received fromthe information processing apparatus via the network, inputting firstidentification information, specifying a print job corresponding to thefirst identification information from the stored print jobs based on thefirst identification information, determining whether or not print dataincluded in the specified print job is encrypted data, and printing theprint data when it is determined that the print data included in thespecified print job is not encrypted data, and decrypting and printingthe print data when it is determined that the print data included in thespecified print job is encrypted data.

In still another aspect of the present invention, a computer programthat causes a computer to execute a print data outputting method for aprinting apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus viaa network includes steps as described above.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments withreference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a multi function peripheral (MFP) deviceserving as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an information processingapparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a network according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process performed by a print clientcomputer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process performed by a printingapparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a printing procedure according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a table showing a job list stored in the printing apparatusaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a user interface of a printer driveraccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below indetail with reference to the attached drawings.

First Embodiment

A first embodiment of the present invention is described first.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a multi function peripheral (MFP)device serving as a printing apparatus according to a first embodimentof the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a central processing unit (CPU) 101 reads a control programfrom a read-only memory (ROM) 102 or a hard disk 103. According to thecontrol program, a control unit 105 performs various functions andvarious types of processing of the present embodiment, described below,using a random access memory (RAM) 104. The RAM 104 stores various datanecessary for operation, for example, driving conditions and managementdata of the components of the device.

A display unit 106 displays various types of information, such asdriving conditions, the state of the device, and input information. Anoperating unit 107 for inputting settings and instructions from a usermay be, for example, a touch panel partially positioned in the displayunit 106, a key pad including a ten-key, a start key, etc., or the like,including a combination of the above.

A communication control unit 108 is connected to an intranet or theInternet to communicate document data including image data and controlcommands.

A network control unit 109 is connected to a public switched telephonenetwork (PSTN), and performs a predetermined line control on an incomingor outgoing call to connect or disconnect a line. Image data and controlsignals are modulated by an internal modem device and are thentransmitted through the network control unit 109 via facsimile, or imagedata and control signals received through the network control unit 109via facsimile are demodulated by the modem device.

A reading unit 110 photoelectrically converts light applied to andreflected from an original document to be sent, copied, or stored, whichcorresponds to the image, and reads image data.

A recording unit 111 forms the read or received image data, or thereceived print data on a sheet of paper as a permanent visible image,and the sheet of paper is output.

An image storage unit 112 temporarily stores the read or received imagedata, or the received print data. The image storage unit 112 may beincluded in the hard disk 103.

An image processing unit 113 performs image processing in response to arequest. For example, the image processing unit 113 compresses andencodes the image data to be sent, and expands and decodes the receivedimage data. The image processing unit 113 further converts the receivedprint data into image data, and converts the image data to be storedinto an appropriate format or a format specified by the user, e.g., PDF(Portable Document Format). The image processing unit 113 furtherperforms image correction according to the optical responsecharacteristic of the reading unit 110, variations of senders, etc., andmodifies the image, e.g., changes the scale of the image, according tothe user operation input from the operating unit 107. The imageprocessing unit 113 further optimizes the image data according to thewriting characteristics of the recording unit 111.

An authentication processing unit 114 authenticates users and printjobs.

A bus 115 connects the CPU 101, the ROM 102, the hard disk 103, the RAM104, the control unit 105, the display unit 106, the operating unit 107,the communication control unit 108, the reading unit 110, the recordingunit 111, the image storage unit 112, the image processing unit 113, andthe authentication processing unit 114.

The MFP device of the present embodiment has a facsimile communicationfunction for transmitting read image data, a transfer function fortransferring data to a document management server computer, a copyingfunction for recording and outputting read image data, a receiving andprinting function for receiving image data via facsimile, and a printingfunction for receiving and printing print data from a client computer.The MFP device may serve as not only a copying machine but also afacsimile machine, a printer, and a scanner.

The authentication processing unit 114 includes a reader/writer formagnetic cards or IC cards, and has a user authentication function. Whena magnetic card or an IC card having, for example, a department numberand a password is inserted, the authentication processing unit 114 readsa preset department number and password from the ROM 102 or the harddisk 103 to perform authentication before performing various functions.A department number and password may be entered by the operating unit107 without using a magnetic card or an IC card, and the authenticationprocessing unit 114 may perform authentication based on the entereddepartment number and password.

The recording unit 111 may be of the electrophotographic recording typeor of any other recording type, such as an ink-jet type, a thermal-headtype, or a dot-impact type.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a print client computer servingas an information processing apparatus according to the first embodimentof the present invention.

In FIG. 2, the print client computer includes a CPU 201 that executes aprogram of the present embodiment stored in a ROM 202 or a hard disk(HD) 210 or supplied from a flexible disk drive (FD) 209 forcollectively controlling the devices connected to a system bus 204.

A RAM 203 functions as a main memory or work area of the CPU 201. Akeyboard (user command input) controller (KBC) 208 controls instructionsinput from a keyboard (KB) 212 or a pointing device (not shown). A CRT(cathode-ray tube) controller (CRTC) 207 controls a CRT display (CRT)211. A disk controller (DKC) 206 controls access to the hard disk (HD)210 that stores a boot program, various applications, an editing file, auser file, an installation program creating program, etc., and theflexible disk (FD) 209. A host interface (I/F) 205 bi-directionallyexchanges data with a local printer, a network printer, another networkdevice, or another personal computer (PC).

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a network 300 according to the first embodimentof the present invention.

In FIG. 3, the network 300 supports, for example, TCP/IP (TransmissionControl Protocol/Internet Protocol). Client computers 310 and 320 arecomputers used by general users that are connected to the network 300.

A management server computer 330 and an MFP device 340 are alsoconnected to the network 300. The management server computer 330performs, for example, user authentication, if necessary. For example,an electronic document created by the client computer 310 using anapplication is encrypted using a number printed on a surface of an ICcard 350 and a password, and is then sent to the MFP device 340.

Upon receiving the encrypted print job, the MFP device 340 does notprint the print job, and temporarily stores it. When a user who desiresa printout goes to the MFP device 340, inserts the IC card 350, andenters a password, the encrypted print job stored therein is decryptedand is printed.

The concept of the general structure is merely shown, and a plurality ofcomputers used by general users and a plurality of MFP devices may beused. In place of the MFP device 340, single-function devices, e.g., ascanner, a printer, a facsimile machine, etc., may be connected to thenetwork 300.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process performed by the print clientcomputer 310 or 320 according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention. In this process, encrypted print data and decryptinginformation added to the print data are sent to the MFP device 340, orunencrypted print data is sent to the MFP device 340.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the process starts, first, in step S401, aprinter-driver print setting screen including a password input field isdisplayed on the print client computer 310 or 320. The user enters apassword in this field when the user desires to encrypt print data, anddoes not enter a password when the user does not encrypt print data.

In step S402, a printer driver generates print data.

In step S403, it is determined whether or not a password has been set. Apassword may be set by delivering it in the printer driver or adding itto print data, or by any other method.

If it is determined in step S403 that no password has been set, theprocess proceeds to step S408, in which the print data is sent to theMFP device 340 without being encrypted.

If a password has been set, in step S404, the generated print data isencrypted. In the present embodiment, the print data is encrypted using,but not limited to, a common key encryption method in which, forexample, random numbers are generated and used as a common key. Anyother common key encryption method may be used.

In step S405, the common key is encrypted. If a common key necessary fordecrypting print data is added in plaintext form to the print job, it ismeaningless to encrypt the print data. The common key is encrypted usingthe password entered in step S401. The common key may be encrypted usingany encryption method, such as triple DES (Data Encryption Standard) orAES (Advanced Encryption Standard), as far as it can be encrypted anddecrypted using a password. The common key may be encrypted using not apassword itself but a password that is converted using a certain method.

In step S406, a hash value of the common key is determined for checkingcorrect decrypting in a printing operation. In step S407, the encryptedcommon key and the hash value of the common key are added to theencrypted print data, and in step S408, the resulting print data is sentto the MFP device 340.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process performed by the MFP device 340according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In theprocess, it is determined whether or not print data can be decryptedbased on decryption information added to the print data, and, then, theprint data is decrypted and output from the MFP device 340.

When the process starts, first, in step S501, encrypted print data sentfrom the print client computer 301 or 302 is received and stored in theimage storage unit 112 of the MFP device 340.

In step S502, decrypting information, i.e., the encrypted common key andthe hash value of the common key, is extracted from the print datastored in the image storage unit 112.

In step S503, a printing instruction is given.

In step S504, it is determined whether or not the print data isencrypted data by, for example, determining whether or not encryptedinformation including the encrypted common key and the hash value addedin step S407 shown in FIG. 4 exists. If it is determined in step S504that the print data is unencrypted data, then in step S505, the printdata is directly printed. If it is determined that the print job isunencrypted data and if a “secured print” instruction, described belowwith reference to FIG. 8, is given, then in step S505, the print job isnot printed but is stored in the image storage unit 112.

If it is determined in step S504 that the print data is encrypted data,then in step S506, the user is prompted to enter a given password whenprinting begins. For example, the IC card 350 is inserted into the MFPdevice 340, thus instructing beginning of printing. When the userinserts the IC card 350, the encrypted common key is decrypted using theentered password.

In step S507, the encrypted common key is decrypted using the acquiredpassword. Then, in step S508, the hash value of the decrypted common keyis determined, and is checked against the hash value obtained from theprint data.

In step S509, it is determined whether or not the hash value obtainedfrom the print data is identical to the hash value of the decryptedcommon key. If it is determined that these hash values are identical, itis determined that the common key has correctly been decrypted. Then, instep S510, the print data is decrypted using the decrypted common key,and in step S511, the decrypted print data is printed.

If it is determined in step S509 that the two hash values are notidentical, it is determined that the common key has not correctly beendecrypted, that is, that the entered password is incorrect. Then, instep S512, the number of errors is incremented.

In step S513, it is determined whether or not the number of errorsexceeds a predetermined value. If it is determined that the number oferrors does not exceed the predetermined value, the process returns tostep S506, and the user is prompted to re-enter a password. If it isdetermined in step S513 that the number of errors exceeds thepredetermined value, the process proceeds to step S514, and the processends with failure.

One main reason for incorrectly decrypting the common key is that thepassword entered for encryption and the password entered for decryptingdiffer from each other. The processing of steps S512 and S513 isprovided for a one-to-one search for a password. If the print data isnot so confidential, the processing of steps S512 and S513 may beomitted, and the process may always return from step S509 to step S506.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a process for printing an encryptedsecured print job using the IC card 350 without a reader/writer for theIC card 350 being provided for the print client computer 310 (320)according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

The processing of steps S601 to S603 is performed by the client computer310 or 320, and the processing of steps S604 to S611 is performed by theMFP device 340.

Before or after printing begins, in step S601, a serial number printedon a surface of the IC card 350 for printing an encrypted secured printjob is entered in a printer-driver setting screen. If a password is alsoentered, an instruction to generate an encrypted secured print job isgiven; if a password is not entered, secured print without encryption orimmediate printing without using secured print is instructed.

In step S602, print data is generated in the manner described in theprocessing of steps S402 to S407 shown in FIG. 4.

In step S603, the serial number entered in step S601 is embedded in theprint data generated in step S602, and the resulting print data is sentto the MFP device 340.

In step S604, the print data sent in step S603 is received, and isstored in the image storage unit 112 of the MFP device 340.

In step S605, the embedded serial number and encrypted information areobtained from the print data stored in step S604, and a job list isupdated. In the present embodiment, the job list is a database includinga list of all secured print jobs stored in the MFP device 340. The otherinformation embedded in the print data, e.g., print job titles, printjob owner names, and printing time and date, may also be obtained, ifnecessary, and may be stored as members of the job list.

In step S606, when the user inserts the IC card 350 into the MFP device340, the serial number of the inserted IC card 350 is acquired.

In step S607, the job list is searched for print data associated withthe acquired serial number, and a list of candidate print jobs isgenerated.

In step S608, it is determined whether or not the candidate print joblist generated in step S607 is empty. If it is determined that thecandidate print job list is empty, the process ends. If the listincludes one or more candidate print jobs, then in step S609, a job isselected and subjected to the print data output processing in step S610as described in the flowchart shown in FIG. 5. After performing theoutput processing, the job is deleted from the candidate print job list.Then, the process returns to step S608.

FIG. 7 is a table showing a job list to be updated in step S605 shown inFIG. 6.

In this table, five secured print jobs are stored in the MFP device 340;three print jobs are allocated to “Taro”, and two print jobs areallocated to “Hanako”. One of the print jobs allocated to “Taro” is anunencrypted secured print job, and the remaining two print jobs areencrypted secured print jobs. The two print jobs allocated to “Hanako”are encrypted secured print jobs.

For example, when Taro goes to the MFP device 340 and inserts his ICcard 350 with IC card serial No. 1001200230034004 into the MFP device340, the print jobs with job IDs 5001, 5003, and 5004 are to be printed.The print job with job ID 5001 is an unencrypted secured print job, andtherefore does not require a password to be entered, whereas, the printjobs with job IDs 5003 and 5004 are encrypted print jobs, and thereforerequire a password to be entered. Taro does not need to be at the MFPdevice 340. He may let another trustable person take a printout bylending his IC card 350 to the person and letting the person know thepassword.

FIG. 8 illustrates a user interface of the printer driver that enablessecured printing.

In FIG. 8, a check box 801 is clicked to allow an encrypted orunencrypted secured print job. In this case, the print job is stored inthe image storage unit 112 until an instruction from the user is given,and the received print data is not immediately printed by the MFP device340. When the check box 801 is not clicked, standard printing isperformed, that is, the received print job is immediately printed by theMFP device 340.

An editing box 802 is used to enter the IC card number printed on asurface of the IC card 350.

An editing box 803 is used to enter a password for encrypting the givenprint job. In the present embodiment, leaving the editing box 803 blankallows secured print without encryption. When a password is entered,secured print with encryption is carried out.

Accordingly, a serial number printed on a surface of the IC card 350 isentered before printing begins, and the MFP device 340 reads a serialnumber from the IC card 350. The use of the serial numbers realizes asecured print system using the IC card 350 without a reader/writer forthe IC card 350 being provided for each print client computer.

Moreover, the user is able to intuitively select high-speedhigh-usability secured print without encryption or high-security securedprint with encryption depending upon the print job by determiningwhether or not a password is entered before printing begins. Inparticular, when a contactless IC card 350 is used for specifying anindividual, printing begins merely by bringing the IC card 350 in closeproximity to the MFP device 340, thus achieving high-usability securedprint.

Second Embodiment

In the first embodiment, a password is entered on a print job basis.However, if the same password is given to all print jobs, it may beinconvenient that the same password be entered each time a print job isto be printed.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, an entered password isstored for a certain period of time, and the stored password is used todecrypt a second and the subsequent print jobs. If a print job cannot bedecrypted, that is, if the hash values are compared in step S508 shownin FIG. 5 and it is determined in step S509 that the hash values are notidentical, the user is prompted to enter a password.

A password may be stored for a period of time during which an IC card isinserted one time or for a predetermined period of time, or by any othermethod. A limited or unlimited number of passwords may be stored.

Third Embodiment

In the first embodiment, the IC card 350 is used. Alternatively, aportable device having an identifiable number and having a mechanism foracquiring the identifiable number, e.g., a portable phone, may be usedinstead of the IC card 350.

Other Embodiments

The present invention may encompass a case where software program codefor achieving the features of the foregoing embodiments is supplied to acomputer (a CPU or an MPU (micro-processing unit)) of an apparatus orsystem connected to various devices so that the various devices areoperated to achieve the foregoing embodiments, and the various devicesare operated according to the program stored in the computer of thesystem or apparatus.

In this case, the software program code itself realizes the features ofthe foregoing embodiments. The program code is provided on a recordingmedium which may include, but is not limited to, a flexible disk, a harddisk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a compact disk read-onlymemory (CD-ROM), a magnetic tape, a non-volatile memory card, and a ROM.

The computer executes the supplied program code, thus realizing thefeatures of the foregoing embodiments. Where the program code cooperatesan operating system (OS) running on the computer or other applicationsoftware to realize the features of the foregoing embodiments, theprogram code may constitute an embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention may also encompass a case where the suppliedprogram code is stored in a memory of a function extension board of thecomputer or a function extension unit connected to the computer, afterwhich a CPU or the like of the function extension board or functionextension unit executes a portion of or the entirety of actualprocessing in accordance with an instruction of the program code, torealize the features of the foregoing embodiments.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, the invention isintended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangementsincluded within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The scopeof the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation soas to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

1. A printing apparatus connected to an information processing apparatusvia a network, the printing apparatus comprising: a print job receivingunit that receives a print job sent from the information processingapparatus; a storage unit that stores the print job received by theprint job receiving unit; an input unit that receives an input ofidentification information; a reading unit that is capable of readingmedium unique information stored in an information storage medium; aprint data decrypting unit that decrypts encrypted print data; an outputunit that performs printing output based on print data; and a controlunit that, when print data included in the print job received by theprint job receiving unit has been encrypted, retains the encrypted printdata in the storage unit until the input unit has received an input ofidentification information, in response to the input unit havingreceived an input of identification information, controls the print datadecrypting unit to decrypt the encrypted print data using theidentification information and the output unit to print and output thedecrypted print data, when print data included in the print job receivedby the print job receiving unit has medium unique information embeddedtherein, retains the print data having the medium unique informationembedded therein in the storage unit until the reading unit has readmedium identification information, in response to matching between themedium unique information read by the reading unit from the informationstorage medium and the information embedded in the print data, controlsthe output unit to print and output the print data, and when print dataincluded in the print job received by the job receiving unit isunencrypted and there is no medium unique information embedded in theprint data, controls the output unit to print and output the print datawithout receiving an input of identification information by the inputunit and reading medium unique information by the reading unit.
 2. Theprinting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a keyinformation decrypting unit that decrypts encrypted key informationincluded in the print job using the identification information receivedby the input unit; a generating unit that generates verification datafrom the key information decrypted by the key information decryptingunit, and a determining unit that determines whether or not theverification data generated by the generating unit and verification dataincluded in the print job are identical, wherein the print datadecrypting unit decrypts the encrypted print data in response to thedetermining unit having determined that the verification data generatedby the generating unit and the verification data included in the printjob are identical.
 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 2,wherein the identification information is a password, and theverification data is a hash value of the key information.
 4. A printdata generation method performed in an information processing apparatusconnected to a printing apparatus via a network, the print datageneration method comprising: a print data generating step forgenerating print data; an input step capable of receiving an input ofidentification information and an input of medium unique informationthat is information unique to an information storage medium readable bythe printing apparatus; a print data encrypting step for encrypting theprint data generated in the print data generating step; an embeddingstep for embedding medium unique information in the print data generatedin the print data generating step; a control step of, in response to aninput of identification information having being received in the inputstep, controlling so that print data is encrypted in the print dataencrypting step using the identification information, in response to aninput of medium unique information having been received in the inputstep, controlling the embedding step to embed the medium uniqueinformation in the print data, and in response to an input of eitheridentification information or medium unique information having not beenreceived in the input step, controlling the print data encrypting stepnot to encrypt the print data and the embedding step not to embed mediumunique information in the print data; and a sending step of sending aprint job to the printing apparatus via the network, the print jobincluding one of print data encrypted in the print data encrypting step,print data in which medium unique information has been embedded in theembedding step, and print data that is not encrypted in the print dataencrypting step and in which no medium unique information is embedded inthe embedding step.
 5. A printing method performed in a printingapparatus connected to an information processing apparatus via anetwork, the printing method comprising: a print job receiving step ofreceiving a print job sent from the information processing apparatus; astoring step of storing the print job received in the print jobreceiving step in a storage unit; an input step of receiving an input ofidentification information; a reading step capable of reading mediumunique information stored in an information storage medium; a print datadecrypting step of decrypting encrypted print data; an output step ofperforming printing output based on print data; and a control step of,when print data included in the print job received in the print jobreceiving step has been encrypted, retaining the encrypted print data inthe storage unit until an input of identification information has beenreceived in the input step, and, in response to an input ofidentification information having been received in the input step,controlling so that the encrypted print data is decrypted in the printdata decrypting step using the identification information and so thatthe decrypted print data is printed and output in the output step, whenprint data included in the print job received in the print job receivingstep has medium unique information embedded therein, retaining the printdata having the medium unique information embedded therein in thestorage unit until medium identification information has been read inthe reading step, and, in response to matching between the medium uniqueinformation read in the reading step from the information storage mediumand the information embedded in the print data, controlling so that theprint data is printed and output in the output step, and when print dataincluded in the print job received in the job receiving step isunencrypted and there is no medium unique information embedded in theprint data, controlling so that the print data is printed and output inthe output step without receiving an input of identification informationin the input step and reading medium unique information in the readingstep.
 6. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon acomputer program for causing a computer to execute performing printingin a printing apparatus connected to an information processing apparatusvia a network, the computer program causing the computer to execute: aprint job receiving step of receiving a print job sent from theinformation processing apparatus; a storing step of storing the printjob received in the print job receiving step in a storage unit; an inputstep of receiving an input of identification information; a reading stepcapable of reading medium unique information stored in an informationstorage medium; a print data decrypting step of decrypting encryptedprint data; an output step of performing printing output based on printdata; and a control step of, when print data included in the print jobreceived in the print job receiving step has been encrypted, retainingthe encrypted print data in the storage unit until an input ofidentification information has been received in the input step, and, inresponse to an input of identification information having been receivedin the input step, controlling so that the encrypted print data isdecrypted in the print data decrypting step using the identificationinformation and so that the decrypted print data is printed and outputin the output step, when print data included in the print job receivedin the print job receiving step has medium unique information embeddedtherein, retaining the print data having the medium unique informationembedded therein in the storage unit until medium identificationinformation has been read in the reading step, and, in response tomatching between the medium unique information read in the reading stepfrom the information storage medium and the information embedded in theprint data, controlling so that the print data is printed and output inthe output step, and when print data included in the print job receivedin the job receiving step is unencrypted and there is no medium uniqueinformation embedded in the print data, controlling so that the printdata is printed and output in the output step without receiving an inputof identification information in the input step and reading mediumunique information in the reading step.